44 SCIENTIFIC STUDIES. POLYTECHNIC SOCIETY. 



association of talented young scientists, who subse- 

 quently almost without exception became celebrated 

 by their achievments. I need mention only the names 

 of clu Bois-Reymond. Briicke, Helmholtz. Clausius, 

 Wiedemann. Ludwig, Beetz and Knoblauch. Intercourse 

 and cooperation with these young men. distinguished 

 by talent and earnest endeavour, strengthened my 

 preference for scientific study and labours, and kindled 

 in me the determination to be in future the votary 

 of strict science alone. 



But circumstances were stronger than my will, 

 and the native impulse never to let acquired know- 

 ledge lie idle, but as far as possible to make some 

 use of it, led me ever and again back to technology. 

 And so it has been my life long. My affection has 

 always been given to pure science as such, but my 

 labours and achievments have been for the most part 

 in the domain of applied science. 



This technical turn was especially favoured and 

 supported by the Polytechnic Society, to which as a 

 young officer I zealously devoted myself. I took an 

 active part in its proceedings, and in the answering 

 of the questions which were deposited in the query- 

 box. The answering and discussing of these soon 

 formed a part of my regular activity and proved a 

 good school for me. My scientific study stood me in 

 good stead, and it became clear to me, that technical 

 progress is only to be attained by the diffusion of 

 scientific knowledge among technologists. 



''At that time there still existed an unbridged 



